Zoe Saldana Could Join Scott Cooper's Out Of The Furnace

Director Scott Cooper's Out of the Furnace doesn't sound like the most original project we've ever heard of. The film follows an ex-con who, upon being released from prison, goes on a mission for revenge, hunting down the man that killed his younger brother. For example, the movie sounds incredibly similar to Faster, the 2010 action film starring Dwayne Johnson (which wasn't bad, but certainly not something to try and imitate less than two years later). Fortunately, it looks like Cooper is assembling talent that could serve as a solid distraction from the familiar plot.

Zoe Saldana, who is currently in the midst of production on J.J. Abrams' Star Trek sequel, is now in talks to potentially join Christian Bale (who entered discussions for the movie two weeks ago) in Out of the Furnace. But Saldana and Bale aren't the only two actors expressing interest in the movie, as there are some other big names circling the project as well, according to Variety. As previously reported, both Robert Duvall and Viggo Mortensen are interested in taking parts in the project, as the protagonist's uncle and the central villain, respectively. There has also been talk that Casey Affleck, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch and Channing Tatum are being looked at to play the younger brother. Should she sign on, Saldana will play Bale's ex-wife, who has moved on since her husband went to prison and has married the local sheriff. No actors are yet locked in for the project, which actually doesn't have the green light yet.

Described as a "gritty throwback to 70's movies", the project is based on a script originally called The Low Dweller, written by Brad Ingelsby. Should it get the go-ahead, production is planned to start in late spring.